Boundary-specific electronic offers

ABSTRACT

In an approach to determining a boundary-specific offer, one or more computer processors determine a user of a mobile device is within a pre-defined physical boundary. The one or more computer processors determine a first notification of an offer corresponding to the pre-defined physical boundary. The one or more computer processors send the first notification of the offer to the mobile device. The one or more computer processors determine whether the user of the mobile device moved outside of the pre-defined physical boundary. In response to determining the user of the mobile device moved outside of the pre-defined physical boundary, the one or more computer processors invalidate the offer.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of electroniccoupon transmission, and more particularly to boundary-specificelectronic offers.

Product manufacturers and retailers have long offered coupons asincentives for purchasing particular products. Typically, coupons offerconsumers a discount or other reward for purchasing a particular productand have been distributed by manufacturers and retailers in a paperformat. A consumer may redeem a paper coupon by taking the paper couponto a retailer and purchasing products that satisfy the terms of thepaper coupon. Additionally, techniques have been developed to enableexchange and/or redemption of coupons electronically.

Proximity marketing is the offering of specially selected information,products, or services to customers, based on their currentlocation—often in a retail environment, arena, public building, orspace. Offers are most often made on a mobile device, when the user has“opted in” for offers. The customer's location may be determined by aplurality of techniques, including utilization of indoor or outdoorsensors and location tracking of the customer's mobile device. Thatlocation is shared with an integrated database, which sends an offer—aform of “push notification”—based on that customer's profile. Thistargeting precision has tremendous potential for marketers and venueoperators.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method, a computerprogram product, and a system for determining a boundary-specific offer.The method may include one or more computer processors determining auser of a mobile device is within a pre-defined physical boundary. Theone or more computer processors determine a first notification of anoffer corresponding to the pre-defined physical boundary. The one ormore computer processors send the first notification of the offer to themobile device. The one or more computer processors determine whether theuser of the mobile device moved outside of the pre-defined physicalboundary. In response to determining the user of the mobile device movedoutside of the pre-defined physical boundary, the one or more computerprocessors invalidate the offer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a distributed dataprocessing environment, in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart depicting operational steps of a couponnotification program, on a server computer within the distributed dataprocessing environment of FIG. 1, for notifying a user of aboundary-specific coupon, in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C illustrate an example of a user interface, on amobile device within the distributed data processing environment of FIG.1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 depicts a block diagram of components of the server computerexecuting the coupon notification program within the distributed dataprocessing environment of FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment ofthe present invention;

FIG. 5 depicts a cloud computing environment in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 depicts abstraction model layers in accordance with an embodimentof the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Data analytics and machine learning have enabled marketers and retailersto provide a personalized approach to selling products to consumers. Ifconsumers know that by entering a store, the retailer may offeradditional savings above and beyond current advertised sales, theconsumers may be more likely to patronize the store over other options.Additionally, many retailers prefer to capture sales as soon as possibleand may want to promote on-demand purchasing to increase total sales.Embodiments of the present invention recognize that efficiency ofretails sales may be gained and revenue may be increased by promotingon-demand purchasing by consumers in a retail environment. Embodimentsof the present invention enable retailers and venue operators to createcoupons or promotions which are specific to a boundary location andexpire when the consumer exits the boundary. Implementation ofembodiments of the invention may take a variety of forms, and exemplaryimplementation details are discussed subsequently with reference to theFigures.

FIG. 1 is a functional block diagram illustrating a distributed dataprocessing environment, generally designated 100, in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention. The term “distributed” as usedherein describes a computer system that includes multiple, physicallydistinct devices that operate together as a single computer system. FIG.1 provides only an illustration of one implementation and does not implyany limitations with regard to the environments in which differentembodiments may be implemented. Many modifications to the depictedenvironment may be made by those skilled in the art without departingfrom the scope of the invention as recited by the claims.

Distributed data processing environment 100 includes server computer 104and mobile device 110, interconnected over network 102. Network 102 canbe, for example, a telecommunications network, a local area network(LAN), a wide area network (WAN), such as the Internet, or a combinationof the three, and can include wired, wireless, or fiber opticconnections. Network 102 can include one or more wired and/or wirelessnetworks that are capable of receiving and transmitting data, voice,and/or video signals, including multimedia signals that include voice,data, and video information. In general, network 102 can be anycombination of connections and protocols that will supportcommunications between server computer 104, mobile device 110, and othercomputing devices (not shown) within distributed data processingenvironment 100.

Server computer 104 can be a standalone computing device, a managementserver, a web server, a mobile computing device, or any other electronicdevice or computing system capable of receiving, sending, and processingdata. In other embodiments, server computer 104 can represent a servercomputing system utilizing multiple computers as a server system, suchas in a cloud computing environment. In another embodiment, servercomputer 104 can be a laptop computer, a tablet computer, a netbookcomputer, a personal computer (PC), a desktop computer, a personaldigital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, or any programmable electronicdevice capable of communicating with mobile device 110 and othercomputing devices (not shown) within distributed data processingenvironment 100 via network 102. In another embodiment, server computer104 represents a computing system utilizing clustered computers andcomponents (e.g., database server computers, application servercomputers, etc.) that act as a single pool of seamless resources whenaccessed within distributed data processing environment 100. Servercomputer 104 includes coupon notification program 106 and database 108.Server computer 104 may include internal and external hardwarecomponents, as depicted and described in further detail with respect toFIG. 4.

Coupon notification program 106 enables retailers and venue operators tocreate coupons or promotions which are specific to a boundary locationand expire when the consumer exits the boundary. The boundary specifiedby the retailer or venue operator may be a location such as a store oran area within a store. Coupon notification program 106 establishes theboundary using geolocation information. As used herein, geolocationinformation may also be referred to as location information, positioninginformation, position information, global positioning information,network location, or the like. Geolocation information associated with auser refers to geographical or network information associated with alocation of a mobile device. Coupon notification program 106 detects thepresence of a user's mobile device, such as mobile device 110, within aspecified location or boundary. Coupon notification program 106determines a notification of a coupon or promotion, which may be basedon a stored user profile. Coupon notification program 106 sends thenotification to mobile device 110. If coupon notification program 106detects mobile device 110 moves to within a threshold distance of theboundary prior to the user redeeming the coupon, then couponnotification program 106 may send an additional notification. Inresponse to detecting mobile device 110 is outside of the boundary,coupon notification program 106 invalidates the coupon such that theuser can no longer take advantage of the promotion. In the depictedembodiment, coupon notification program 106 is a standalone program. Inanother embodiment, coupon notification program 106 may be integratedinto one or more of a plurality of existing cloud-based services fornotifications and alerts, as would be recognized by one skilled in theart. Coupon notification program 106 is depicted and described infurther detail with respect to FIG. 2.

Database 108 is a repository for data used by coupon notificationprogram 106. In the depicted embodiment, database 108 resides on servercomputer 104. In another embodiment, database 108 may reside elsewherewithin distributed data processing environment 100 provided couponnotification program 106 has access to database 108. A database is anorganized collection of data. Database 108 can be implemented with anytype of storage device capable of storing data and configuration filesthat can be accessed and utilized by server computer 104, such as adatabase server, a hard disk drive, or a flash memory. Database 108stores metadata associated with a user of user interface 112, such as ahistory of use of user interface 112 with a client computing device,such as mobile device 110. Database 108 may also store a user profilewith shopping preferences in a particular store or venue. Database 108may also store a history of purchases made by the user of mobile device110 in one or more stores or venues. In addition to the history ofpurchases made, database 108 may also store data associated with the useof coupons or promotions with previous purchases.

Mobile device 110 can be one or more of a laptop computer, a tabletcomputer, a smart phone, or any programmable electronic device capableof communicating with various components and devices within distributeddata processing environment 100, via network 102. Mobile device 110 canbe a wearable computer. Wearable computers are miniature electronicdevices that may be worn by the bearer under, with or on top ofclothing, as well as in glasses, hats, or other accessories. Wearablecomputers can be especially useful for applications that require morecomplex computational support than just hardware coded logics. Ingeneral, mobile device 110 represents any programmable electronic deviceor combination of programmable electronic devices capable of executingmachine readable program instructions and communicating with othercomputing devices (not shown) within distributed data processingenvironment 100 via a network, such as network 102. Mobile device 110includes user interface 112.

User interface 112 provides an interface for a user of mobile device 110with coupon notification program 106. In one embodiment, user interface112 may be a graphical user interface (GUI) or a web user interface(WUI) and can display text, documents, web browser windows, useroptions, application interfaces, and instructions for operation, andinclude the information (such as graphic, text, and sound) that aprogram presents to a user and the control sequences the user employs tocontrol the program. In another embodiment, user interface 112 may alsobe mobile application software that provides an interface between a userof mobile device 110 and server computer 104. Mobile applicationsoftware, or an “app,” is a computer program designed to run on smartphones, tablet computers and other mobile devices. User interface 112enables mobile device 110 to receive notifications from couponnotification program 106. In one embodiment, user interface 112 is avenue-specific app, downloaded to mobile device 110 by a user, whichenables communication between mobile device 110 and coupon notificationprogram 106. In the embodiment, a user can set up preferences, via theapp, associated with coupon notifications, and whether to allow couponnotification program 106 to detect the device location.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart depicting operational steps of coupon notificationprogram 106, on server computer 104 within distributed data processingenvironment 100 of FIG. 1, for notifying a user of a boundary-specificcoupon, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Coupon notification program 106 detects a mobile device within aphysical boundary (step 202). In one embodiment, a venue operatordefines a physical boundary for where a coupon or promotion is validwithin the venue. The physical boundary may be, for example, a retailstore, a restaurant, or a sports stadium. In another example, thephysical boundary may be a specified area within a venue, such as anaisle in a grocery store. Coupon notification program 106 uses one ormore of a plurality of techniques known in the art to detect thepresence of a mobile device, such as mobile device 110, as the deviceenters a pre-defined physical boundary, location, or zone. For example,coupon notification program 106 may use a global positioning system(GPS), Wi-Fi®, Bluetooth®, RFID, etc. In one embodiment, the boundary islocation-based. For example, a boundary may be defined as a locationwithin a radius of a specific distance of one or more transceiverdevices that transmit a beacon signal in a venue. In another example, aboundary may be defined by GPS coordinates. In another embodiment, theboundary may also include a time requirement, where coupon notificationprogram 106 detects the location of a mobile device within a pre-definedperiod of time. For example, the device enters a particular location ofa venue during a specific time period, such as between 3:00 pm and 4:00pm. In a further embodiment, coupon notification program 106 may requirethat the target device reside in the pre-defined location for aspecified period of time. For example, the mobile device enters aparticular location of a retail store and stays in the location for atleast 30 seconds. In one embodiment, upon detection of the mobiledevice, coupon notification program 106 determines whether the mobiledevice includes user interface 112.

Coupon notification program 106 determines a notification of an offer(step 204). Coupon notification program 106 determines a notificationthat includes an offer for an appropriate coupon, promotion, discount,etc. for the user of mobile device 110. In one embodiment, couponnotification program 106 determines the notification based on the venue.For example, the same discount may be offered to any user entering thephysical boundary. In another embodiment, coupon notification program106 may determine the notification based on a user profile of the userof mobile device 110, stored in database 108. For example, couponnotification program 106 may determine the notification based on userpreferences registered in a user profile, via user interface 112, suchas particular styles or types of products the user buys in the venue. Inanother embodiment, coupon notification program 106 may determine thenotification based on a history of purchases the user has made in thevenue. For example, if the venue has a shopper loyalty program, and theuser shops in the venue every week, coupon notification program 106 maydetermine a more significant discount than coupon notification program106 may offer to an occasional shopper. In a further embodiment, couponnotification program 106 may determine the offer in response toreceiving a promotion or coupon from a venue operator or another thirdparty.

Coupon notification program 106 sends the notification (step 206). Inresponse to determining a notification, coupon notification program 106sends the notification to the user of mobile device 110, via userinterface 112. In an embodiment where coupon notification program 106 isintegrated into an existing cloud-based service for notifications andalerts, the cloud-based service sends the notification. The notificationmay include an expiratory location to indicate to the user the locationof the physical boundary of the coupon. For example, if the physicalboundary is a shoe store, the notification may be “Buy one, get one freeshoes this visit only!” In another example, if the physical boundary isa location within a store, the notification may be “Put a box of cerealin your basket before you leave the cereal aisle and get 20% off!”

Coupon notification program 106 detects the mobile device within athreshold distance of the physical boundary (step 208). As discussedwith respect to step 202, coupon notification program 106 detects thelocation of mobile device 110 moving within the pre-defined physicalboundary of a venue using one or more of a plurality of techniques knownin the art. Coupon notification program 106 determines when mobiledevice 110 is within a pre-defined threshold distance of the physicalboundary, which may indicate that the user of mobile device 110 may beconsidering leaving the boundary. For example, coupon notificationprogram 106 may detect when the user of mobile device 110 is within twofeet of the door of the store.

Coupon notification program 106 determines whether the offer has beenredeemed (decision block 210). Coupon notification program 106determines whether the user of mobile device 110 has made a purchaseusing the previously sent coupon or promotion notification using one ormore techniques known in the art. In one embodiment, coupon notificationprogram 106 may be integrated into the point of sale system of thevenue, and is aware when the coupon is redeemed during a purchase using,for example, a bar code or a quick response (QR) code via user interface112. In another embodiment, coupon notification program 106 may receivea confirmation from the point of sale system of the venue to determinewhether the user redeemed the coupon. In an embodiment where thephysical boundary is a specified area within a venue, couponnotification program 106 may determine whether a user redeemed thecoupon prior to the actual purchase of an item. For example, if thephysical boundary is an aisle in a grocery store, then couponnotification program 106 may determine the coupon is redeemed when theuser snaps the QR code on the item via user interface 112. In anotherexample, if the venue employs smart shelf technology, as would berecognized by one of skill in the art, then coupon notification program106 may determine the coupon is redeemed when the user removes an itemfrom a shelf and the item is not returned to the shelf within apre-defined duration of time. In yet another example, couponnotification program 106 may determine the coupon is redeemed when theuser accepts the discount, via user interface 112, prior to leaving thephysical boundary.

If coupon notification program 106 determines the offer has not beenredeemed (“no” branch, decision block 210), then coupon notificationprogram 106 sends an additional notification (step 212). Couponnotification program 106 may send an additional notification in order toincent the user to make a purchase before leaving the venue. In oneembodiment, when coupon notification program 106 determines a user isleaving the physical boundary before redeeming the coupon, couponnotification program 106 sends the user an additional notification toalert the user that the coupon expires when the user leaves the physicalboundary. For example, the additional notification may be “Don'tforget—the special offer expires when you leave the store!” In anotherembodiment, coupon notification program 106 may modify the offer suchthat the offer remains valid after the user leaves the physicalboundary, i.e., extending the expiration of the promotion. For example,the additional notification may be “Tap the screen to extend the couponfor an additional 24 hours.” In a further embodiment, couponnotification program 106 may offer a reduced discount if the user leavesthe venue prior to redeeming the original coupon. For example, theadditional notification may be “The 20% off coupon will expire when youleave the store. Would you like to accept an offer of 10% off when youreturn next time?”

Coupon notification program 106 detects the mobile device is outside ofthe physical boundary (step 214). As discussed with respect to step 202,coupon notification program 106 detects when mobile device 110 leavesthe physical boundary using one or more of a plurality of techniquesknown in the art.

Responsive to detecting the mobile device is outside of the physicalboundary, or if coupon notification program 106 determines the couponhas been redeemed (“yes” branch, decision block 210), then couponnotification program 106 invalidates the coupon (step 216). Couponnotification program 106 renders the coupon or promotion as invalid sothe user cannot redeem the coupon in the future.

FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C illustrate example 300 of user interface 112, onmobile device 110 within distributed data processing environment 100 ofFIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3A depicts notification 302, which coupon notification program 106sent to mobile device 110, via user interface 112. As discussed withrespect to step 206 of FIG. 2, coupon notification program 106 sends anotification to mobile device 110 upon detecting the presence of mobiledevice 110 within a pre-defined physical boundary. In the depictedexample, coupon notification program 106 sends the notification “Welcometo MyGrocery! Enjoy 20% off all candy bars this shop only!” Thenotification includes both a discount (“20% off”) and a physicalboundary (“this shop only”).

FIG. 3B depicts notification 304, which coupon notification program 106sent to mobile device 110, via user interface 112. As discussed withrespect to step 212 of FIG. 2, coupon notification program 106 may senda second notification to mobile device 110 upon detecting mobile device110 within a threshold distance of the pre-defined physical boundary. Inthe depicted example, coupon notification program 106 sends thenotification “Reminder! Your coupon for 20% off all candy bars willexpire when you leave!” The notification is a reminder to the user thatthe coupon expires outside of the pre-defined physical boundary.

FIG. 3C depicts notification 306, which coupon notification program 106sent to mobile device 110, via user interface 112. As discussed withrespect to step 212 of FIG. 2, coupon notification program 106 may sendan additional notification to mobile device 110 upon detecting mobiledevice 110 within a threshold distance of the pre-defined physicalboundary. In the depicted example, coupon notification program 106 sendsthe notification “You are about to leave the store and the 20% coupon isabout to expire. Would you like to extend a 10% discount for the next 24hours?” In addition, the notification includes a display of a “yes” anda “no” button for the user to reply to the query. The notificationenables the user to keep the coupon outside of the physical boundary,but only for 24 hours and at a reduced rate.

FIG. 4 depicts a block diagram of components of server computer 104within distributed data processing environment 100 of FIG. 1, inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention. It should beappreciated that FIG. 4 provides only an illustration of oneimplementation and does not imply any limitations with regard to theenvironments in which different embodiments can be implemented. Manymodifications to the depicted environment can be made.

Server computer 104 can include processor(s) 404, cache 414, memory 406,persistent storage 408, communications unit 410, input/output (I/O)interface(s) 412 and communications fabric 402. Communications fabric402 provides communications between cache 414, memory 406, persistentstorage 408, communications unit 410, and input/output (I/O)interface(s) 412. Communications fabric 402 can be implemented with anyarchitecture designed for passing data and/or control informationbetween processors (such as microprocessors, communications and networkprocessors, etc.), system memory, peripheral devices, and any otherhardware components within a system. For example, communications fabric402 can be implemented with one or more buses.

Memory 406 and persistent storage 408 are computer readable storagemedia. In this embodiment, memory 406 includes random access memory(RAM). In general, memory 406 can include any suitable volatile ornon-volatile computer readable storage media. Cache 414 is a fast memorythat enhances the performance of processor(s) 404 by holding recentlyaccessed data, and data near recently accessed data, from memory 406.

Program instructions and data used to practice embodiments of thepresent invention, e.g., coupon notification program 106 and database108, can be stored in persistent storage 408 for execution and/or accessby one or more of the respective processor(s) 404 of server computer 104via memory 406. In this embodiment, persistent storage 408 includes amagnetic hard disk drive. Alternatively, or in addition to a magnetichard disk drive, persistent storage 408 can include a solid-state harddrive, a semiconductor storage device, a read-only memory (ROM), anerasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a flash memory, or anyother computer readable storage media that is capable of storing programinstructions or digital information.

The media used by persistent storage 408 may also be removable. Forexample, a removable hard drive may be used for persistent storage 408.Other examples include optical and magnetic disks, thumb drives, andsmart cards that are inserted into a drive for transfer onto anothercomputer readable storage medium that is also part of persistent storage408.

Communications unit 410, in these examples, provides for communicationswith other data processing systems or devices, including resources ofmobile device 110. In these examples, communications unit 410 includesone or more network interface cards. Communications unit 410 may providecommunications through the use of either or both physical and wirelesscommunications links. Coupon notification program 106 and database 108may be downloaded to persistent storage 408 of server computer 104through communications unit 410.

I/O interface(s) 412 allows for input and output of data with otherdevices that may be connected to server computer 104. For example, I/Ointerface(s) 412 may provide a connection to external device(s) 416 suchas a keyboard, a keypad, a touch screen, a microphone, a digital camera,and/or some other suitable input device. External device(s) 416 can alsoinclude portable computer readable storage media such as, for example,thumb drives, portable optical or magnetic disks, and memory cards.Software and data used to practice embodiments of the present invention,e.g., coupon notification program 106 and database 108 on servercomputer 104, can be stored on such portable computer readable storagemedia and can be loaded onto persistent storage 408 via I/O interface(s)412. I/O interface(s) 412 also connect to a display 418.

Display 418 provides a mechanism to display data to a user and may be,for example, a computer monitor or the lenses of a head mounted display.Display 418 can also function as a touchscreen, such as a display of atablet computer.

It is to be understood that although this disclosure includes a detaileddescription on cloud computing, implementation of the teachings recitedherein are not limited to a cloud computing environment. Rather,embodiments of the present invention are capable of being implemented inconjunction with any other type of computing environment now known orlater developed.

Cloud computing is a model of service delivery for enabling convenient,on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computingresources (e.g., networks, network bandwidth, servers, processing,memory, storage, applications, virtual machines, and services) that canbe rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort orinteraction with a provider of the service. This cloud model may includeat least five characteristics, at least three service models, and atleast four deployment models.

Characteristics are as follows:

On-demand self-service: a cloud consumer can unilaterally provisioncomputing capabilities, such as server time and network storage, asneeded automatically without requiring human interaction with theservice's provider.

Broad network access: capabilities are available over a network andaccessed through standard mechanisms that promote use by heterogeneousthin or thick client platforms (e.g., mobile phones, laptops, and PDAs).

Resource pooling: the provider's computing resources are pooled to servemultiple consumers using a multi-tenant model, with different physicaland virtual resources dynamically assigned and reassigned according todemand. There is a sense of location independence in that the consumergenerally has no control or knowledge over the exact location of theprovided resources but may be able to specify location at a higher levelof abstraction (e.g., country, state, or datacenter).

Rapid elasticity: capabilities can be rapidly and elasticallyprovisioned, in some cases automatically, to quickly scale out andrapidly released to quickly scale in. To the consumer, the capabilitiesavailable for provisioning often appear to be unlimited and can bepurchased in any quantity at any time.

Measured service: cloud systems automatically control and optimizeresource use by leveraging a metering capability at some level ofabstraction appropriate to the type of service (e.g., storage,processing, bandwidth, and active user accounts). Resource usage can bemonitored, controlled, and reported, providing transparency for both theprovider and consumer of the utilized service.

Service Models are as follows:

Software as a Service (SaaS): the capability provided to the consumer isto use the provider's applications running on a cloud infrastructure.The applications are accessible from various client devices through athin client interface such as a web browser (e.g., web-based e-mail).The consumer does not manage or control the underlying cloudinfrastructure including network, servers, operating systems, storage,or even individual application capabilities, with the possible exceptionof limited user-specific application configuration settings.

Platform as a Service (PaaS): the capability provided to the consumer isto deploy onto the cloud infrastructure consumer-created or acquiredapplications created using programming languages and tools supported bythe provider. The consumer does not manage or control the underlyingcloud infrastructure including networks, servers, operating systems, orstorage, but has control over the deployed applications and possiblyapplication hosting environment configurations.

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS): the capability provided to theconsumer is to provision processing, storage, networks, and otherfundamental computing resources where the consumer is able to deploy andrun arbitrary software, which can include operating systems andapplications. The consumer does not manage or control the underlyingcloud infrastructure but has control over operating systems, storage,deployed applications, and possibly limited control of select networkingcomponents (e.g., host firewalls).

Deployment Models are as follows:

Private cloud: the cloud infrastructure is operated solely for anorganization. It may be managed by the organization or a third party andmay exist on-premises or off-premises.

Community cloud: the cloud infrastructure is shared by severalorganizations and supports a specific community that has shared concerns(e.g., mission, security requirements, policy, and complianceconsiderations). It may be managed by the organizations or a third partyand may exist on-premises or off-premises.

Public cloud: the cloud infrastructure is made available to the generalpublic or a large industry group and is owned by an organization sellingcloud services.

Hybrid cloud: the cloud infrastructure is a composition of two or moreclouds (private, community, or public) that remain unique entities butare bound together by standardized or proprietary technology thatenables data and application portability (e.g., cloud bursting forload-balancing between clouds).

A cloud computing environment is service oriented with a focus onstatelessness, low coupling, modularity, and semantic interoperability.At the heart of cloud computing is an infrastructure that includes anetwork of interconnected nodes.

Referring now to FIG. 5, illustrative cloud computing environment 50 isdepicted. As shown, cloud computing environment 50 includes one or morecloud computing nodes 10 with which local computing devices used bycloud consumers, such as, for example, personal digital assistant (PDA)or cellular telephone 54A, desktop computer 54B, laptop computer 54C,and/or automobile computer system 54N may communicate. Nodes 10 maycommunicate with one another. They may be grouped (not shown) physicallyor virtually, in one or more networks, such as Private, Community,Public, or Hybrid clouds as described hereinabove, or a combinationthereof. This allows cloud computing environment 50 to offerinfrastructure, platforms and/or software as services for which a cloudconsumer does not need to maintain resources on a local computingdevice. It is understood that the types of computing devices 54A-N shownin FIG. 4 are intended to be illustrative only and that computing nodes10 and cloud computing environment 50 can communicate with any type ofcomputerized device over any type of network and/or network addressableconnection (e.g., using a web browser).

Referring now to FIG. 6, a set of functional abstraction layers providedby cloud computing environment 50 (FIG. 4) is shown. It should beunderstood in advance that the components, layers, and functions shownin FIG. 5 are intended to be illustrative only and embodiments of theinvention are not limited thereto. As depicted, the following layers andcorresponding functions are provided:

Hardware and software layer 60 includes hardware and softwarecomponents. Examples of hardware components include: mainframes 61; RISC(Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture based servers 62;servers 63; blade servers 64; storage devices 65; and networks andnetworking components 66. In some embodiments, software componentsinclude network application server software 67 and database software 68.

Virtualization layer 70 provides an abstraction layer from which thefollowing examples of virtual entities may be provided: virtual servers71; virtual storage 72; virtual networks 73, including virtual privatenetworks; virtual applications and operating systems 74; and virtualclients 75.

In one example, management layer 80 may provide the functions describedbelow. Resource provisioning 81 provides dynamic procurement ofcomputing resources and other resources that are utilized to performtasks within the cloud computing environment. Metering and Pricing 82provide cost tracking as resources are utilized within the cloudcomputing environment, and billing or invoicing for consumption of theseresources. In one example, these resources may include applicationsoftware licenses. Security provides identity verification for cloudconsumers and tasks, as well as protection for data and other resources.User portal 83 provides access to the cloud computing environment forconsumers and system administrators. Service level management 84provides cloud computing resource allocation and management such thatrequired service levels are met. Service Level Agreement (SLA) planningand fulfillment 85 provide pre-arrangement for, and procurement of,cloud computing resources for which a future requirement is anticipatedin accordance with an SLA.

Workloads layer 90 provides examples of functionality for which thecloud computing environment may be utilized. Examples of workloads andfunctions which may be provided from this layer include: mapping andnavigation 91; software development and lifecycle management 92; virtualclassroom education delivery 93; data analytics processing 94;transaction processing 95; and coupon notification program 106.

The programs described herein are identified based upon the applicationfor which they are implemented in a specific embodiment of theinvention. However, it should be appreciated that any particular programnomenclature herein is used merely for convenience, and thus theinvention should not be limited to use solely in any specificapplication identified and/or implied by such nomenclature.

The present invention may be a system, a method, and/or a computerprogram product. The computer program product may include a computerreadable storage medium (or media) having computer readable programinstructions thereon for causing a processor to carry out aspects of thepresent invention.

The computer readable storage medium can be any tangible device that canretain and store instructions for use by an instruction executiondevice. The computer readable storage medium may be, for example, but isnot limited to, an electronic storage device, a magnetic storage device,an optical storage device, an electromagnetic storage device, asemiconductor storage device, or any suitable combination of theforegoing. A non-exhaustive list of more specific examples of thecomputer readable storage medium includes the following: a portablecomputer diskette, a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), aread-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROMor Flash memory), a static random access memory (SRAM), a portablecompact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM), a digital versatile disk (DVD),a memory stick, a floppy disk, a mechanically encoded device such aspunch-cards or raised structures in a groove having instructionsrecorded thereon, and any suitable combination of the foregoing. Acomputer readable storage medium, as used herein, is not to be construedas being transitory signals per se, such as radio waves or other freelypropagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagatingthrough a waveguide or other transmission media (e.g., light pulsespassing through a fiber-optic cable), or electrical signals transmittedthrough a wire.

Computer readable program instructions described herein can bedownloaded to respective computing/processing devices from a computerreadable storage medium or to an external computer or external storagedevice via a network, for example, the Internet, a local area network, awide area network and/or a wireless network. The network may comprisecopper transmission cables, optical transmission fibers, wirelesstransmission, routers, firewalls, switches, gateway computers and/oredge servers. A network adapter card or network interface in eachcomputing/processing device receives computer readable programinstructions from the network and forwards the computer readable programinstructions for storage in a computer readable storage medium withinthe respective computing/processing device.

Computer readable program instructions for carrying out operations ofthe present invention may be assembler instructions,instruction-set-architecture (ISA) instructions, machine instructions,machine dependent instructions, microcode, firmware instructions,state-setting data, or either source code or object code written in anycombination of one or more programming languages, including an objectoriented programming language such as Smalltalk, C++ or the like, andconventional procedural programming languages, such as the “C”programming language or similar programming languages. The computerreadable program instructions may execute entirely on the user'scomputer, partly on the user's computer, as a stand-alone softwarepackage, partly on the user's computer and partly on a remote computeror entirely on the remote computer or server. In the latter scenario,the remote computer may be connected to the user's computer through anytype of network, including a local area network (LAN) or a wide areanetwork (WAN), or the connection may be made to an external computer(for example, through the Internet using an Internet Service Provider).In some embodiments, electronic circuitry including, for example,programmable logic circuitry, field-programmable gate arrays (FPGA), orprogrammable logic arrays (PLA) may execute the computer readableprogram instructions by utilizing state information of the computerreadable program instructions to personalize the electronic circuitry,in order to perform aspects of the present invention.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein with reference toflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams of methods, apparatus(systems), and computer program products according to embodiments of theinvention. It will be understood that each block of the flowchartillustrations and/or block diagrams, and combinations of blocks in theflowchart illustrations and/or block diagrams, can be implemented bycomputer readable program instructions.

These computer readable program instructions may be provided to aprocessor of a general purpose computer, a special purpose computer, orother programmable data processing apparatus to produce a machine, suchthat the instructions, which execute via the processor of the computeror other programmable data processing apparatus, create means forimplementing the functions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or blockdiagram block or blocks. These computer readable program instructionsmay also be stored in a computer readable storage medium that can directa computer, a programmable data processing apparatus, and/or otherdevices to function in a particular manner, such that the computerreadable storage medium having instructions stored therein comprises anarticle of manufacture including instructions which implement aspects ofthe function/act specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram blockor blocks.

The computer readable program instructions may also be loaded onto acomputer, other programmable data processing apparatus, or other deviceto cause a series of operational steps to be performed on the computer,other programmable apparatus or other device to produce a computerimplemented process, such that the instructions which execute on thecomputer, other programmable apparatus, or other device implement thefunctions/acts specified in the flowchart and/or block diagram block orblocks.

The flowchart and block diagrams in the Figures illustrate thearchitecture, functionality, and operation of possible implementationsof systems, methods, and computer program products according to variousembodiments of the present invention. In this regard, each block in theflowchart or block diagrams may represent a module, a segment, or aportion of instructions, which comprises one or more executableinstructions for implementing the specified logical function(s). In somealternative implementations, the functions noted in the blocks may occurout of the order noted in the Figures. For example, two blocks shown insuccession may, in fact, be executed substantially concurrently, or theblocks may sometimes be executed in the reverse order, depending uponthe functionality involved. It will also be noted that each block of theblock diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, and combinations of blocksin the block diagrams and/or flowchart illustration, can be implementedby special purpose hardware-based systems that perform the specifiedfunctions or acts or carry out combinations of special purpose hardwareand computer instructions.

The descriptions of the various embodiments of the present inventionhave been presented for purposes of illustration, but are not intendedto be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments disclosed. Manymodifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skillin the art without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.The terminology used herein was chosen to best explain the principles ofthe embodiment, the practical application or technical improvement overtechnologies found in the marketplace, or to enable others of ordinaryskill in the art to understand the embodiments disclosed herein.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method for determining a boundary-specificelectronic offer, the method comprising: determining, by one or morecomputer processors, a mobile device of a user is within a pre-definedphysical boundary; determining, by the one or more computer processors,the mobile device resides in the pre-defined physical boundary for apre-defined period of time; responsive to determining the mobile deviceresides in the pre-defined physical boundary for the pre-defined periodof time, determining, by the one or more computer processors, a firstnotification of an offer corresponding to the pre-defined physicalboundary; sending, by the one or more computer processors, the firstnotification of the offer to the mobile device; determining, by the oneor more computer processors, whether the mobile device moved outside ofthe pre-defined physical boundary; responsive to determining the mobiledevice moved outside of the pre-defined physical boundary, invalidating,by the one or more computer processors, the offer; responsive to sendingthe first notification of the offer to the mobile device, determining,by the one or more computer processors, the mobile device of the user iswithin a pre-defined threshold distance of exiting the pre-definedphysical boundary; determining, by the one or more computer processors,the offer is not redeemed; and sending, by the one or more computerprocessors, a second notification to the mobile device.
 2. The method ofclaim 1, wherein the second notification alerts the user that the offerexpires when the user exits the pre-defined physical boundary.
 3. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the second notification presents amodification to the offer such that the offer remains valid after theuser exits the pre-defined physical boundary.
 4. The method of claim 1,wherein the second notification includes an offer for a reduced discountafter the mobile device of the user exits the pre-defined physicalboundary.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pre-defined physicalboundary is defined by at least one of a location within a radius of aspecific distance of one or more transceiver devices that transmit abeacon signal in a venue and GPS coordinates.
 6. A computer programproduct for determining a boundary-specific electronic offer, thecomputer program product comprising: one or more computer readablestorage devices and program instructions stored on the one or morecomputer readable storage devices, the stored program instructionscomprising: program instructions to determine a mobile device of a useris within a pre-defined physical boundary; program instructions todetermine the mobile device resides in the pre-defined physical boundaryfor a pre-defined period of time; responsive to determining the mobiledevice resides in the pre-defined physical boundary for the pre-definedperiod of time, program instructions to determine a first notificationof an offer corresponding to the pre-defined physical boundary; programinstructions to send the first notification of the offer to the mobiledevice; program instructions to determine whether the mobile devicemoved outside of the pre-defined physical boundary; responsive todetermining the mobile device moved outside of the pre-defined physicalboundary, program instructions to invalidate the offer; responsive tosending the first notification of the offer to the mobile device,program instructions to determine the mobile device of the user iswithin a pre-defined threshold distance of exiting the pre-definedphysical boundary; program instructions to determine the offer is notredeemed; and program instructions to send a second notification to themobile device.
 7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein thesecond notification alerts the user that the offer expires when the userexits the pre-defined physical boundary.
 8. The computer program productof claim 6, wherein the second notification presents a modification tothe offer such that the offer remains valid after the user exits thepre-defined physical boundary.
 9. The computer program product of claim6, wherein the second notification includes an offer for a reduceddiscount after the mobile device of the user exits the pre-definedphysical boundary.
 10. The computer program product of claim 6, whereinthe pre-defined physical boundary is defined by at least one of alocation within a radius of a specific distance of one or moretransceiver devices that transmit a beacon signal in a venue and GPScoordinates.
 11. A computer system for determining a boundary-specificelectronic offer, the computer system comprising: one or more computerprocessors; one or more computer readable storage devices; programinstructions stored on the one or more computer readable storage devicesfor execution by at least one of the one or more computer processors,the stored program instructions comprising: program instructions todetermine a mobile device of a user is within a pre-defined physicalboundary; program instructions to determine the mobile device resides inthe pre-defined physical boundary for a pre-defined period of time;responsive to determining the mobile device resides in the pre-definedphysical boundary for the pre-defined period of time, programinstructions to determine a first notification of an offer correspondingto the pre-defined physical boundary; program instructions to send thefirst notification of the offer to the mobile device; programinstructions to determine whether the mobile device moved outside of thepre-defined physical boundary; responsive to determining the mobiledevice moved outside of the pre-defined physical boundary, programinstructions to invalidate the offer; responsive to sending the firstnotification of the offer to the mobile device, program instructions todetermine the mobile device of the user is within a pre-definedthreshold distance of exiting the pre-defined physical boundary; programinstructions to determine the offer is not redeemed; and programinstructions to send a second notification to the mobile device.
 12. Thecomputer system of claim 11, wherein the second notification alerts theuser that the offer expires when the user exits the pre-defined physicalboundary.
 13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the secondnotification presents a modification to the offer such that the offerremains valid after the user exits the pre-defined physical boundary.14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the second notificationincludes an offer for a reduced discount after the mobile device of theuser exits the pre-defined physical boundary.
 15. The computer system ofclaim 11, wherein the pre-defined physical boundary is defined by atleast one of a location within a radius of a specific distance of one ormore transceiver devices that transmit a beacon signal in a venue andGPS coordinates.